Mark Indelicato (left) with Ugly Betty Boyfriend Austin (Ryan McGinnis)
My first question is: what the hell took the Disney Channel so long in greenlighting a High School Musical-like TV series? With the break-out success of Glee, they're surely kicking themselves that they didn't get Madison High, the pilot of which is currently being produced, on the air much sooner.
My second question is: is Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato, who has joined the cast as drama club president Harvey Flynn, going to be the Disney Channel's first fully out scripted gay character?
High School Musical famously included the character of Ryan, who had many stereotypically "gay" qualities, including good grooming and a constantly changing selection of fashionable chapeaus, and who many viewers interpreted to be gay. But his sexuality was never confirmed in any of the movies (although it definitely was in Disney's touring stage production).
Based...
My first question is: what the hell took the Disney Channel so long in greenlighting a High School Musical-like TV series? With the break-out success of Glee, they're surely kicking themselves that they didn't get Madison High, the pilot of which is currently being produced, on the air much sooner.
My second question is: is Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato, who has joined the cast as drama club president Harvey Flynn, going to be the Disney Channel's first fully out scripted gay character?
High School Musical famously included the character of Ryan, who had many stereotypically "gay" qualities, including good grooming and a constantly changing selection of fashionable chapeaus, and who many viewers interpreted to be gay. But his sexuality was never confirmed in any of the movies (although it definitely was in Disney's touring stage production).
Based...
- 3/23/2011
- by Brent Hartinger
- The Backlot
Mark Indelicato is announced as one of the stars on Disney Channel's new musical series, "Madison High". It is among 13 new original series that Disney introduced during its upfront presentation to advertisers Wednesday, March 16 in New York.
"Madison" relies on original music and like "Glee", the cast break-into-song-and-dance. The school "is trying to build a revolutionary theater program" and the students are working in an original piece based on their lives for an end of year project. Indelicato who claimed his fame as Betty's nephew on ABC's "Ugly Betty" trained vocals at Dupree School of Music in Linwood, New Jersey before nabbing the role.
Meanwhile, Sarah Hyland of "Modern Family" and Matt Prokop of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" would star in a new Disney Channel Original Movie. The real-life couple joins "Geek Charming" which is about the social hierarchy of high school.
In addition, Disney is to...
"Madison" relies on original music and like "Glee", the cast break-into-song-and-dance. The school "is trying to build a revolutionary theater program" and the students are working in an original piece based on their lives for an end of year project. Indelicato who claimed his fame as Betty's nephew on ABC's "Ugly Betty" trained vocals at Dupree School of Music in Linwood, New Jersey before nabbing the role.
Meanwhile, Sarah Hyland of "Modern Family" and Matt Prokop of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" would star in a new Disney Channel Original Movie. The real-life couple joins "Geek Charming" which is about the social hierarchy of high school.
In addition, Disney is to...
- 3/17/2011
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Disney is building on its musical foundation with the upcoming slate of programming unveiled Wednesday.
Ugly Betty alum Mark Indelicato joins the growing cast of Disney's High School Musical spin-off, Madison High. The musical comedy will feature original songs and center on a group of kids trying to rebuild their theater program.
Disney fan favorite Debby Ryan, who stars on The Suite Life on Deck, landed her own series for the network called Jessie. The show follows a teen from rural Texas who moves to New York.
Read More >...
Ugly Betty alum Mark Indelicato joins the growing cast of Disney's High School Musical spin-off, Madison High. The musical comedy will feature original songs and center on a group of kids trying to rebuild their theater program.
Disney fan favorite Debby Ryan, who stars on The Suite Life on Deck, landed her own series for the network called Jessie. The show follows a teen from rural Texas who moves to New York.
Read More >...
- 3/16/2011
- by Robyn Ross
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Disney Channel has announced the cast for its upcoming musical comedy pilot Madison High. The storyline revolves around High School Musical drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) relocating from East High to Madison High. At the new school, Ms. Darbus will work with a group of students trying to build a "revolutionary theatre programme", which includes creating an original musical production based on the students' own lives. The cast for the pilot includes 15-year-old Luke Benward as (more)...
- 2/21/2011
- by By Lara Martin
- Digital Spy
All of the "High School Musical" kids, including Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, may have graduated from East High, but Ms. Darbus' drama class lives on in the Disney Channel's new pilot inspired by the "High School Musical" franchise.
"Madison High" is the channel's new music and dance-driven comedy pilot, which will introduce viewers to a new troupe of theater students. Alyson Reed will reprise her role as drama teacher Ms. Darbus in the project. Production on the pilot begins in March and if it is picked up, it will premiere in early 2012.
Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide, says, "'High School Musical' introduced the joys of musicals and musical theater to a whole new generation and kids and families. They embraced the themes explored in those movies -- about expressing oneself and following your dreams. And now, with 'Madison High,...
"Madison High" is the channel's new music and dance-driven comedy pilot, which will introduce viewers to a new troupe of theater students. Alyson Reed will reprise her role as drama teacher Ms. Darbus in the project. Production on the pilot begins in March and if it is picked up, it will premiere in early 2012.
Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide, says, "'High School Musical' introduced the joys of musicals and musical theater to a whole new generation and kids and families. They embraced the themes explored in those movies -- about expressing oneself and following your dreams. And now, with 'Madison High,...
- 2/17/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Disney Channel has handed a pilot order to Madison High, a music and dance-driven comedy pilot featuring the melodramatic drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) from the High School Musical franchise and a troupe of theater students. Disney channel put Madison High, described as the channel's first musical comedy and its most ambitious series to date, on fast-track development in November when it began preliminary casting. Production on the pilot begins in March for a potential early 2012 series launch. “High School Musical introduced the joys of musicals and musical theater to a whole new generation and kids and families," Disney Channel topped Gary Marsh said. "And now, with Madison High, we hope to give kids a whole new set of characters with whom to engage – along with more great original music, dance numbers and songs.” Madison High will feature four original songs written by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Jamie Houston,...
- 2/17/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
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